I’ve saved the best for last as these super established Parisian institutions rank HIGH on every foodie’s hit list for the ambience, the service, and most importantly the divine French cuisine. Let’s dig right in shall we??…
Famed institution in Montmartre district notorious for their gourmet duck dishes. I know what you’re thinking… you don’t even like duck that much. BUT rest assured it’s ONLY because the folks you’ve been ordering it from make it ALL wrong! Those in the know flock here during all times of the day for their claim-to-fame brunch and Les Classiques du Gout menu where you can’t miss any of their classic specials.
On the M E N U
Les escargots de Bourgogne | Escargots
Every time a menu featured escargots, we ordered them lol. Buttery, herby, woodsy goodness all sopped up in their wonderfully warm basket of bread. Wished we ordered a dozen I couldn’t get enough of these slippery little suckers! Best in town guys!
Assiette de foie gras de canard Maison | Seared duck foie gras with chutney, toast, and house salad
Sweet and savory, a perfect starter to the duck on duck on duck meal we’re about to get down with!
Ravioles de foie gras de canard a la creme de truffe | Foie gras duck ravioli in truffle cream sauce
The description alone should stop you dead in your tracks! I DREAM of this dish, day in day out. So memorable it would possibly rival an endless plate of unpasteurized French cheese as my LAST DYING meal. A combo of the two would render me completely catatonic! Make sure you save some bread (or order another basket) to drench in the sauce! DIVINE!
La Salade Gourmande | Mesclun mix duck salad with gizzards and hard boil eggs
You can order this gourmet salad as an entree or split as an appetizer but definitely the BEST duck salad I’ve had in MY LIFE! And y’all know what a complete foodie I am. The dressing was light yet flavorful and complemented all the duck parts so well. We went a bit overboard with the menu so sadly DID NOT have any room for dessert!
Interior Dining Space
As you can see, only Asians dine here! lol No, seriously we made reservations for 6:30pm local Paris time and of course no European dines that early! It’s only the Asians who get hangry at this time and must stop for food apparently. But reservations are a MUST at this gastronomical hotspot so book a few days in advance down below.
I first learned of Frenchie Restaurant back in 2010 when Anthony Bourdain toured Paris with Eric Ripert on his hit TV show “No Reservations” and I blogged about it HERE. Back then Frenchie was a newbie on the block with only 1 location on Rue du Nil (Marais) and served 2 seatings/ 20 people a night. Reservations were only made on the phone (in French mind you) and was booked solid for months on end. Le hubs and I (then le bf) tried to snag a coveted seat back in 2010 to no avail. They were closed for the ENTIRE week we visited! Wahhhhhh… needless to say, I was HELL BENT on visiting during our honeymoon this time!
Fast forward some 6 years later and now they have an easy peasy online reservation system and in English! Woohooo!!!! I made the rezzie 3 weeks before our trip and had no issue getting a coveted 9pm spot at Frenchie Restaurant.
5 C O U R S E P R I X F I X E M E N U
Beautifully executed gastronomical dishes plated with the utmost detail and crafted with INSANE flavor profiles in mind. Le hubs and I eat A LOT of molecular gastronomy, fancy schmancy culinary creations from famed chefs all over the world; so while our palates may be very discerning, our expectations are not. We came with an open mind and Marchand blew it away!
Completely unpretentious yet artfully refined, every main dish had over 20 different components to it. A testament to the time and effort his team puts in for these expert creations.
With a seasonally changing tasting menu, I couldn’t write down everything they explained it was overwhelming to say the least! But just know that a visit to Frenchie should NOT be missed. Especially if this is your first foray into this style of cuisine, gastronomy at its finest. And at only $85USD pp (before alcohol and beverages) it’s a pretty good deal. Something like this in the states (especially LA) could start at $120pp easily.
O T H E R L O C A T I O N S
Chef Gregory Marchand now has 4 outposts to his name, OG Frenchie Restaurant, Frenchie Bar right across the alley where you can grab a cocktail while waiting for your table, French togo next door for lunch specials and quick sandwiches, and Frenchie Covent Garden his newest outpost of French fare with an international twist. Definitely the most upscale of the group, but I yearned for the original location since we had major FOMO for 6 years!
Yet another location I learned of from the incomparable Anthony Bourdain, I also bookmarked Les Cocottes back in 2010 but our schedule was so jam packed we missed it completely. Upon entering the sleek and casual space you’re met with a row of bar seats perfect for quick style dining or a meal for 1. I love that the French are so into wine and cuisine, it’s very common to catch local diners popping in for their fave dishes alone while chatting up the servers. A clear indication that Les Cocottes is as much a local neighborhood eatery as it is a culinary destination.
Old fashioned shellfish bisque with combawa chantilly
I’m allergic to lobster so sadly I couldn’t sample this soup but le hubs said it was beautifully done. Light, creamy, and very French he cleaned this dish with not only his spoon, but with our basket of bread as well and left no drop behind, lol.
Poached egg with crispy bacon and rocket salad
I love a good savory salad especially with caramelized chunks of crispy bacon rendered both in the dressing and generously doused atop. Every fork full of crunchy, chewy, sweet and salty bacon…yummmmm.
Special starter of the day: Mixed morel sauteed mushrooms
If you love woodsy, earthy mushrooms you’ll love this dish. But be forewarned, it might be a bit pungent for some so proceed with caution.
Basque ham from Ospital charcuterie
They are infamous for their charcuterie so order as much as your little heart can handle.
Caramelized potatoes stuffed with pig’s feet
I always try to look for the most unique dishes on a menu and order just that. Something I can’t easily find in the states, this stuffed potato dish was heavier than anything I typically eat. But the flavors were so authentic it reminded of something Gramma would make for Sunday supper. Hearty and delish!
This was their special seasonal fish for the day: Seabream with capers
Very French in technique and execution, the potato underneath made it a bit heavy but very refreshing nonetheless. If you’re in Orange County, Marche Moderne in South Coast Plaza makes a MEAN sea bream and the very reason it’s one of my favorite fishes of all time.
‘Mamia’ from the Pays Basque with acacia honey
I wanted a plate of cheese for dessert but was so dang stuffed trying to finish all of the above, I opted for ‘Mamia’ from the Pays Basque with acacia honey instead. A very traditional basque dessert of curdled milk and french pastry cream, it tastes like a cross between regular yogurt and cream cheese with a texture akin to Vietnamese Almond tofu. Super light, bouncy, and the perfect ending to this contemporary French cuisine by Christian Constant.
Overall the least traditional out of all the restaurants we dined during our 5-day stay in Paris. Sometimes you’re over all the bread, butter, and cheese (Well YOU, not me, like EVERRR) lol… but when le hubs couldn’t handle any more truffle cream foie gras reduced sauces, this was the place to go!
Catch up with Food Porn Friday | The Paris Edition | Part I HERE
…and in case you missed all the Food Porn from the French Riviera…
Completely unpretentious yet artfully refined, every main dish had over 20 different components to it. A testament to the time and effort his team puts in for these expert creations.
With a seasonally changing tasting menu, I couldn’t write down everything they explained it was overwhelming to say the least! But just know that a visit to Frenchie should NOT be missed. Especially if this is your first foray into this style of cuisine, gastronomy at its finest. And at only $85USD pp (before alcohol and beverages) it’s a pretty good deal. Something like this in the states (especially LA) could start at $120pp easily.
3 Comments
Bon appetit!
http://beautyfollower.blogspot.gr/
I love this! Thanks for sharing! ♥ xx
Mai | Ohiamiht
Oh I LOVED this post. I was just in Paris, wish I could have read this before I went. Bookmarking for my next trip there. Thank you!
Allie of
http://www.allienyc.com